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jillebeans
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« on: February 25, 2009, 11:42PM »

 January 11, 2009 - Sunday
   
where there's life,there's hope.
Current mood:  accomplished
I would like to take this opportunity to mention a man by the name of George J Gaskin.He was known as the Silver Voice.He was an Irishman and the second person ever to record music...EVER!His repertoire was his own original music and also the now famous Irish ballads which were repopularised, by the Clancy Brothers in the 1650s and early 1700's and then later by,the Furey Brothers and Davy Arthur (my Daddy,Finbar Furey's group),the wolfe tones and the Dubliners.Also,I am very proud to say that most recently my own group, THE HIGH KINGS,has done the same thing again in the naughties:)))....anyway.....,I am drifting off the point,so here it is:...For Decades, these fabulous musical groups ploughed their ephemeral furrow by playing the music bequeethed to both them and to my countrymen/women and I, by the great musicians and writers of GEOERGE C GASKIN'S ERA(AND BEYOND INTO HISTORY).I wonder now,did any of those talented and uniquely beautiful people,ever take to time to ponder upon the fisherman on the seas and did they ever wonder, how they kept warm?I know the Arran Islands had their own solution.Arran fishermen wove,wore and made famous the woolly jumpers which became known as Arran sweaters.These sweaters were popularised as fashionware, by the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem,who wore 'em when their brilliant manager realised it was a way to make them stand out as Irish,in a photograph,thus making them an easier to sell because music fans were able to tell at a glance ,which record would suit their tastes and the woolly jumper was the key.You just look at it and think,"they must be from Ireland ...or maybe Scotland (that was the Corries)...hmmmm,or maybe Wales......I will have a look!"...before you know where you are ,you are then realising that "hey! I know these songs...actually ,I freakin' love these songs,they remind me of the halcion days,the sunlight and dancin' and my first kiss and the first time I bought a pony of my very own!"....shaw nuf',you must at least have a listen cos a pretty picture and some lyrics is one thing..but does the music have any life?Any Spirit?Do I?Infact,at that point, I very much need to know,whether or not I am GOING to be Able to remind myself of halcion days,without the aid of said device!.....However,I am not dissappointed on any account as I soon discover I like this music when it is done this well!So,I relax in a reconfirmed belief that,where there's Life,there's Hope!:))).....So,where does this all leave me?I am in an Arran Sweater,on a stage ,the lights are amazing!Infact,I would go to see me just because of the lights...they are so plentifull that we have our own private tanning salon for the duration of the gig(or,"giggle" as I like to call it).The sea is not beating in over my prow,the fish aren't wriggling in my net ,infact,I'm feeling kinda like a fish out of water and I am thinking "she's sure fine lookin' maaaan,she's somethin else..."...but what of it?Where would I be if I wasn't here....perhaps the irony is,I WOULD BE FISHING?Huh.The main gigs I was getting were around Ireland in busy bars and when I got there,everyone wanted to hear songs by the Dubliners,The Furey's,the Clancy's by Aslan and by Country n Western Singers!So,when I got a phone call from Olive and Elaine,who work in Dave Kavanagh's office and when they explained to me I was going to get to play all round the world,stay at the poshest hotels,travel in Limo's and meet hunderds upon hundreds of fabulous new people and play for thousands upon thousands,the first thing I said was..."I will do it BUT ONLY,if I can wear a roastin' hot white whooly jumper all the day and all the night.....but especially when I am in the tanning salon because I don't want to get sunburned....and have you a cap I can wear while yer at it?You see,I have this face which terrifies people and I hate to be recognised ANYWHERE unless I am in my beautiful sweater!Infact,there is no life for me beyond my sweater and it means so much,I want it in the show!" Obviously,they said "yes!"Smiley)))http://www.thehighkings.com please do have a listen,,it's my favourite harmony group since the Furey Brothers and Davy Arthur Smiley))
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jillebeans
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« Reply #1 on: February 25, 2009, 11:42PM »

 January 13, 2009 - Tuesday
   
Movin' 'Ouse
Current mood:  adventurous
Well!I am moving house!yaeh!...or is it,Yeah!...?I suppose it depends on how biblical everything is...Do you think God is Allah and Allah is Buddah and Buddah is God,or do you think they are all different?What about the spirit of life or the life force?What about the thing which switches a life "on"?What is that?Is that God?Is it samanth-ick or Santa Hicks??If anyone has the answers to these questions ,can they please get in touch with the smithsonian,although,they may know already and its probably just news to me...what about talesian?what do we think of him?did you know....(ok,here ,I really want you to think Jerry MaGuire.,the movie..the kid with the abundance of trivia,thats' the frame of mind I am going for here.....so,without further ado),did you know,that milesius,who is in the bible,conquered Ireland and that population spread from there,into Britain and Scotland?Something to do with an ice age too I think...I get sketchy....again,if anyone knows the whereabouts of this information,can you inform the relevent authorities?BUT...surely....if milesius was in the bible and if his sons(pardon me,it was his sons who sailed and conquered ireland,he had 8 but only 3 survived,Eber and,wait for it,Ire,were two..I have a feeling I am right in saying that Ire out lived Eber,or we'd be living in Eberland...)the was most certainly,the gardai asure me,foul play.So, ....i will rephrase the question;if Milesius is in the bible and his sons conquered Ireland,then,why isn't Ireland in the bible??Is Ireland in the Koran or the writings of Buddah?Is Milesius?This is maddening....I can see I am going to have to read em...How far a lineage do we need to trace to feel like we belong?At one point,there must have been a couple of very healthy people.....here's another thing,what if genesis is a metaphor for genetics?cell formation and reformation in accordance with the instincts of Holy and gifted people who "just KNEW" they were right but who didn't have the science to prove it?Can I get banned from my space for blasphemy?I better check?Can I be a blasphemer if I have read the Koran,the Bible and The writings of Buddah or do I become automatically holy?In a sense ,I mean?Can I walk about pulling my cheeks in and knowing better than anyone who hasn't,on account of my spare time to read?Or would I know better and be above the questioning itself?I will have to get back to you on that one?!Can I assure everyone that my tongue isn't in my cheek!:)))God Bless America....its to close to GBH for comfort:))Anyway,its a starry night here and I am moving house and it really got me thinking.I have a neighbour who has a beautiful heart.She takes in dogs upon dogs and lets them rome around her garden on a two foot lead...well,she gives em one each but they only do that when they are not all bundled up together in one garage,howlin and bowlin'!I had a word or two and she was great,trying to keep em quiet so we could sleep and now she shares em with her son ,which is really cool because he lives a good way down the road HOWEVER...and this is the rub of it,does anyone want to rent a no frills cottage in the wilds of kilkenny?bargain!450 per month ...euro.....Smiley))
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jillebeans
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« Reply #2 on: June 03, 2009, 09:15PM »

 May 10, 2009 - Sunday
   
Dear Mr. Gabrielle
Current mood:  working
Category: Dreams and the Supernatural
So...An excellent album by anyone's standards.Peter Gabriel,Genesis and the enthusiastic.In Real World,it's the real world of musical ancestry.We have all of humankind represented in music,there.So ,I have a question for mr Gabriel 'n punditry's all and sundry.My question is:Is the Balladree of recent history(within 300 years let's say),ethnic?Is it green?Is it pottered to an ancient n wholesome theme OR is it just crud?Now,it is important to say,I am reeling at this moment that anyone at all could find this beautiful music cruddy,so my question is a slightedly rhetor-tickle.I am aware this is the haunting of an old theme.I say,the melodies are derivatives of an ancient sound and the lyrics are contemporary reflections in an eye,to the past.They are, the movement penned pictures ,of a bawdy toast to willing hearts and earnest minds, of many of "Ours", who are given to hope for the future.


...on a lighter note,day off...and relax:


Killarney was a blast but there was no livestock available.

Our band has moved on and is becoming its own self.We are gelling in our music and meeting music fans and people who like to relax,have a pint or twae,n have a good yap n giggle.Nobody as yet,has brought livestock to sell at the gig.I am not dissapointed by that but if anyone wanted to trade horses ,outside any given arena(ahem)well,suffice to say,we wouldn't mind at all.Farmers markets are welcome.Craft fairs,jugglers,fire eaters n bearded ladies.All are welcome to our vivacious musical extravaganza.C'mere,..What was it Cher was talking about again??Whatever it was,that is what we are doing at the moment.I wouldn't be at all surprised if we didn't just go ahead n have an ewl jam some time.Crazy hazy days...oh and in case yer wondering,a whole day went by in Ireland and not a drop of rain...Smiley)Just sayin hi!:)PS I am refurbishing the cottage.It is feeling good...sore arms though!!

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jillebeans
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« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2009, 09:58PM »

 October 23, 2009 - Friday
   
due to hugely compelling publix

Hi....swanning in my dressing gown...no dollybirds,no crooning,coo-ing groupies,no rock n roll thunder,no bleedin wonder!Demoing with my cousin georgy,with Anto Byrne our piper,with Kevin Pedreschi.Lots of new demos to post.Catching up on my chops,chopping up tomatoes for ketchup n travelling with jamie Oliver instead of Scooby Doo and the light opera corporation of galaxial travel fame....Sharon Shannon was at one of our gigs,I couldn't beleeb me oyes...anyway,we got an award n stuff......afew....only one was glass though....I want more glass ones...(is that selfish?)...we got a metal one too!It was heavy and I think thats why they are mostly certificates.
OK,I posted some demos....fer the craic.....don't post anything ....remember the tour ?craic = fun ,in the vernacualr of my country Eire Smiley)So don't write in to the office complaing...actually,scratch that,you can if you like...LOTS!!:)))
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jillebeans
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« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2010, 11:09PM »

 February 11, 2010 - Thursday
   
Thee WOLFE TONES
So,here I am on a gorgeous morning,head freshly trimmed and tweezers applied,in anticipation of our Televison appearences.We are going to be doing a song with the Wolfe Tones.I can't say when or where because it's top secret!You know how it is,you tell people what show you are going to be on and before ya know it,the place is mobbed and EVERYONE watches it.Gawd,I mean the tedium.No seriously,I am not allowed to tell you I am on telly.If you are irish,you already know what show we will be on but if you are not,then,sorry but it's more than my bright shiney pebbles and broken bikitz are worth and I am not saying anything!It wont be early anyway and it will probably be on an RTE channel,one of many,RTE channels.Anyway,THE WOLFE TONES:I was 9 and my dad was doing a gig at Siamsa Cois Laoi.The WOLFE TONES were the headline act.Infact,I think the whole festival was probably their brainchild.Anyway,when they walked on stage there was a HUGE roar and the festival Rocked(for the second time! ha ha).Since then I have played at two glastonbury festivals and I went to hear the headline acts on each night I was there.For example,REM,JAMES BROWN,OASIS,etc....here is what I have to say;You can surely imagine the din and havoc which would be created by 150000 people screaming REM and James Brown tunes,on a fine summer's evening ,on a farm ,in Glastonbury??Well,I am here to tell you,the fever pitch I remember as the strongest of them all,was the one which the Wolfe Tones Created ,one summer in the 1980's,in a gaelic stadium,in Cork,at siamsa cois laoi!Later,while the adults drank(back to my childhood n forget GLastonbury,I was only illuding..:)It was an illudjion...anyway,cos it cut the mustard..(ok I am off on one of me rambles now,so without further hot sauce,I will get back to my blinkin cart-horse of a point!):being,anyways,while the adults drank(post siamsa cois laoi....and by adults I mean,the "children" and "messers" who had been masquerading as adults,earlier that day on stage(!)with their bodhrans and uilleann pipes,making everyone so happy(yes,I do mean the bands and therefore my dad and his brothers and the wolfe tones themselves),so for the third time,while the adults were drinking,I remember playing pac man ,with my sister Aine and Siobhan Warfield,who is Brian Warfields daughter.I remember saying really embarrassing things ,that ya say when your small....like ,"hey u up there...have ya got any money for chips n orange n pacman???...please:))))".I remember being handed mountains of jinglin silver,by Fureys n Wolfe tones alike,to feed my computer game hunger and wasn't that nice!How come,after all this time,I still remember that as the most exciting live music atmosphere I ever encountered?Bear in mind,I was a mini festival expert by this time,having been at heaps and heaps of festivals and gigs with my father and our whole family up until that point.He would bring us whenever he could to meet the greatest musicians,performers and brightest minds ,so we might better understand the world we were in.Ah well,at least he tried ...duh!:))ha ha ....c u out there and please don't forget,we need to hear those animal noises between songs,or we start missing our farms in kilkenny....byeeee.
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jillebeans
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« Reply #5 on: April 18, 2010, 10:50PM »

 April 5, 2010 - Monday
   
now THATS a TOUR!
Hello friends!It began in a haze of past glories and meandered it's way through the weather,to a conclusion in a town,upon the streets of which,I CLAIM WALKIN RIGHTS!In other words,we had no idea what the heck we were playing at (apart from Darren who always has his homework done early(yawrn!) and it rained for practically the whole tour and and and and,then,we ended the tour in Carrick On Suir ,where I took my first steps...as a tiny lil rugrat!Finbarr's ma told me the exact spot!I might as well just ramble through what I remember.

Nope!...OH well,it was worth a try!Hey,did you ever notice what happens when you put 6 people in a bus and drive them to a different location each day,to play music for people and then supply them with enough drink to drown in(an inch) and fill rooms full of people who only LOVE d Ballads(thank gawd!)??Well,ya get animal noises and bedlam.

The gigs which really stand out for me(no offence to any particular venue or county,just the night that was in it) are...Dublin,Kilkenny and Derry and Armagh

Dublin was a full house of 2100 people...I thought it was odd that there seemed to be so much noise between songs.

Derry...well,numbers were never my point but Derry was a great surprise because,it was our first gig in the north eastern corner of Ireland,oN the tour.I feel that,the first time we played Derry,people were abit sceptical that we might be a bunch of disillusioned free-staters,seeking enlightenment!No WAY jose!Quite the opposite.Of course,ten minutes til Wapner and my own dear mother,being a Scot,playing in the NOrth of Ireland anywhere,I LOVE ,because the accents are so similar to the Scots accent.Of course,anyone that knows their archaeology (OR even ,how to spell it properly,which I can't be bothered to find out this a.m.Actually,"Can't be bothered" is a bit strong....it's a tangental issue....),will be able to corroborate(oh no,not again...argh...spelling anyone??),that Ireland was settled after the last GREAT ice age,long before Britain and then,as the ice receeded,people began to go to "the UK"....so there ya go,all you Scots n Welsh n English,yer all really IRISH!! HAW HAW!:))

While we are on the subject,can we please stop including Ireland in "the British Isles"...I am directing this at all my good and true,strong English and Scottish and Welsh freinds here...(althouhg,being honest,I never heard a true Scot or Welshy,call Ireland anything but Ireland...anyway,my point is NOT some long in the tooth,nationalistic sentiment,based in violence and the killing of innocents for the sake of afew square meters of pot holes!NO NO NO,it is purely a historical point...ahem...ready???Eire having been the ORIGINAL/GENESIS of these fair isles MEANS,they are THE IRISH ISLES!HA!Put that in yer pipes n smoke it!Just cos something is bigger,it doen't mean it's in charge!Right Ladies??Anyway,all sexism aside,can anyone who is reading this and who sees the sense,please from this point on, refer to this neck of the woods as "The Irish Isles",it's only fair!

Holy toledo batman,it's just occurred to me ,I am gonna have to re-read this nonsense(that reflects the style not the content by the way all ye british islers ...grrrr),and check for spellarring mistookenz!Might skip it..lets see if you can tell!?!

Kilkenny,well that stood out because people were much nicer to me than I thought they would be,Darren being from Kilkenny and me living here Wink

I could ramble on for hours but it's a blog not a BOOK so,HI to everyone in the States who I haven't been in contact with in a while and see Y'ALL shorty,...oops,I mean ,shortly!Also to anyone else who knows me ..ha ha....kiddin,speak to you later mum,thanks for reading this !:)


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